The abrupt decision by Donald Trump to immediately withdraw troops from Syria continues raising eyebrows and red flags. Thursday the president tweeted, “Russia, Iran, Syria & many others are not happy about the U.S. leaving, despite what the Fake News says.” This tweet didn’t hold up well because just a short time later Russian President Vladimir Putin expressed his satisfaction (watch above) with Trump’s move. The New York Times reports:
Speaking at his annual news conference, which typically runs for several hours, Mr. Putin said he broadly agreed that the Islamic State had been defeated in Syria. “Donald’s right, and I agree with him,” Mr. Putin said.
The Russian leader expressed skepticism, however that American forces would actually withdraw, as the United States had announced a pullout from Afghanistan by 2014 but still has forces in that country today.
Russia’s embassy echoed this on Twitter.
The #US?? decision to pull its troops from #Syria?? creates good prospects for a political solution in that Arab country – #Zakharova
?https://t.co/HmwlnBz44y pic.twitter.com/g0f5tqcSPm
— Russia in USA ?? (@RusEmbUSA) December 19, 2018
Putin also said, “As for defeating ISIS, I do generally agree with the president.” Someone may want to remind Trump that he said the terror group was “defeated” though. He is contradicting himself today, as he portrays ISIS as a viable threat.
Yesterday, @realDonaldTrump’s justification was that “we have defeated ISIS in Syria.”
Today, it’s that we’re leaving so that “Russia, Iran, and Syria … will have to fight ISIS” (who, I guess, we now _haven’t_ defeated?)
I can only wonder what tomorrow’s argument will be… pic.twitter.com/EiX3xt6OPX
— Steve Vladeck (@steve_vladeck) December 20, 2018
https://twitter.com/joshscampbell/status/1075727801192538112